Ma­gic­al mo­ments between rock and stone

The mountains above, the fans behind and the sound wall in front. Here, every note feels magical. The stone formations shine to the beat of the music in the play of light and the cave walls conjour up sounds that are pure to the ear. At concerts, the natural backdrop of Balve Cave underscores every sound. As if a mystical pact has been made between the powers. “It’s this YES!!! that is simply magical”, says rapper Thomas D about the atmosphere at Europe’s biggest culture cave in Sauerland. With his group, Die Fantastischen Vier, he recorded an MTV Unplugged album here – including an orchestra and dripping ceilings. For the Cologne group, Brings, making the rocks shake has already become a tradition. Other events such as the Irish folk festival and the German cult rock festival also invite you to delve into this other magic world once a year.

The magic continues  

When the sounds have faded away, the magic is still far from over: In the Sauerland’s cave underworld, natural stalactite and stalagmite artworks enchant with their diverse forms and fuel the imagination. This is demonstrated by the names of some sections of cave, such as ‘Kaiserkalle’ (Emperor’s Hall), Kristallpalast (Crystal Palace) and Orgelgrotte (Organ Grotto). High vaulted caverns, ivory-coloured columns and glittering cascades, as well as pools of green shimmering water have been artistically created by nature through millennia of detailed work. This is particularly successful at Attahöhle, which not only boasts the largest interconnected system of caves in Germany, but is also considered the most beautiful. At Dechenhöhle, the wonderful world of stalactites and stalagmites is showcased in a very special way every year: The ‘Höhlenlichter’ (Cave Lights) series of events provides an extra touch of magic with colours, installations and projections.

Check out the matching playlist: